Her Unexpected Hero
by RavenclawAmber
Summary: Formerly Scorpius Malfoy: Hero Extraordinaire Rose sucked in a breath and shook her head slowly. When she spoke, her voice was muffled and decidedly hoarse, “I don’t want to go to Azkaban.” “Azkaban?” Scorpius nearly squeaked. “You didn’t kill someone?"


_**A/N  
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_**Edited to add: I received a comment about this story that disturbed me slightly. This fic deals with sensitive matters such as attempted rape. The humor that I've interjected is in no way meant to make light the seriousness of the situation, but instead is used as a coping mechanism for the characters dealing with the situation, as well as to keep the fic from going into the realm of angst. It is a near-tragedy that ended in a Happily-Ever-After sort of way. **_

**_That being said.... _**

___**This is unbeta'd and has been floating around in my head for quite some time. I finally got it out onto paper. I hope you enjoy it! **_

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**Her Unexpected Hero **

_Lumos_. He lit his wand.

Scorpius Malfoy, a seventh year Prefect at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was used to finding students out of bounds during his nightly patrol of the castle. Though he wasn't used to finding students in the position he might find them right now, if the noises coming from behind the marble statue of an elephant were anything to go by.

It was mid-December and the castle was cold. A draft whistled and howled through some of the second floor corridors. Scorpius' fur-lined cloak was pulled tightly around him, and only his gloved hand was protruding with the lit tip of his wand.

"Who's there?" he called softly.

Another gasp for air.

"Show yourself!" Scorpius demanded. His voice was disdainful and haughty. Certainly whoever was behind the statue would know he meant business. "I'm coming around."

And when he did, he felt shock reverberate through him. There were not two people behind the statue, but one. Rose Weasley, fellow prefect and normally well-put-together witch, was huddled in the corner shivering and sobbing uncontrollably. She looked up to him and he saw the fear.

"Weasley," he said, trying to control his voice into what might be considered affable, for they very rarely spoke in a civil tongue to one another. They'd never been on friendly terms. It wasn't that he didn't like her, but he certainly didn't like her cousins. In truth, Rose Weasley had always been his only real competition. Whether he was playing Chaser to her Keeper on the Quidditch Pitch or they were facing off in Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was a rivalry, and it wasn't always friendly. They were competitive with one another. She was always spurring him on to do better.

Scorpius would never admit that he was captivated by her. He would never admit that the fire in her eyes during a Quidditch match nearly unseated him from his broom. He would surely deny that right now her tear filled eyes weren't turning his insides to mush and he definitely wasn't contemplating finding out who made her cry and killing them with his bare hands, for that would look like he cared.

She pushed a riot of red curls back off her forehead and looked around wildly. Something was seriously wrong and he intended to find out what. Rose took another shuddering breath and he took the chance to ask her, "What happened?"

"I—I didn't mean to do it," she wailed and buried her face in her hands. Awkwardly, Scorpius patted her on the shoulder in comfort, but she paid no attention. She had obviously done something that could get her in trouble, and was distraught about it. When her sobs showed no sign of stopping Scorpius decided he needed to do something. She was in danger of waking the entire East wing of the castle, and he knew for certain the McGonagall's quarters were somewhere nearby.

"Weasley," he shook her gently. He softened his tone, "Rose, we need to get you out of here." She didn't move. Sighing, he put his arms around her and hoisted her gently off the cold stone floor. He tried not to notice how soft she was up against him and how her waist curved in at just the right spot. How she smelled like lavender. "Rose, just walk."_ Please walk_, he prayed silently.

He didn't think he could carry her up more than one or two flights of stairs, and he needed to get her to safety. Whatever had been done was bad. He could feel it. Rose Weasley wasn't the type of girl to cry about nothing. In fact the only time he'd seen her cry was when her beloved uncle—was it Charlie?—had been badly burned in an accident involving one of his dragons. And that had been ages ago…. Even then she'd been _provoked_ to tears. How was Scorpius to have known that she was having a rough day? No one had told him, and he was a git at the age of twelve.

To his relief Rose walked next to him, stumbling blindly. Scorpius ducked them behind a tapestry when he heard footfalls, but whoever it was did not come in their direction. Seemingly, they were too preoccupied to hear Rose's loud sniffle. By the sixth floor, Rose was leaning so heavily on him, and shivering so violently, that he had to stop and rest. He placed his heavy cloak around her. "I'm going to carry you," he said quietly and when his statement met no protest, he swept her up into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and he fought the urge to sigh. Damn her. Being barely over five-feet tall and slight of frame, she was magnificently light in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he climbed the last flight of stairs to the seventh floor.

Rose mumbled an apology, "I didn't mean to. You have to believe me. It just came out," and then her body shook again as a new wave of sobbing began. He tried to whisper reassuringly, but he was out of breath by the time he maneuvered the trick step and walked the long hallway to his destination.

Scorpius paced back and forth in front of a blank space of wall. His father had told him about this room when he turned fifteen and made him swear he wouldn't use it to get up to no good. The Room of Requirement. Scorpius, who was a stickler for the rules, had given no objection to this stipulation, and regularly used the room to practice dueling techniques and do Homework when Hogwarts Library was overcrowded.

_Relaxing_ was the word that played over and ever in his head before the door appeared on the wall opposite a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. He swung the door open and carried Rose to a large, striped couch that sat in front of a blazing fire. A mug of black tea sat on an end table and the faint sound of tinkling piano music could be heard beyond the merry crackling of the pine logs in the fire.

He held her tightly and rocked her gently rubbing small circles on her back until, finally, her sobbing died to a sniffling. Scorpius still rocked her as he spoke, "Can you tell me what is going on?"

Rose sucked in a breath and shook her head slowly against his neck. When she spoke, her voice was muffled and decidedly hoarse, "I don't want to go to Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" Scorpius nearly squeaked. "You didn't kill someone, did you?"

"I—well, no," she raised her head to look into his eyes. The red made the crystal blue stand out even more against her pale freckled face.

"Torture?"

She frowned at him, "No."

"Then what? Why on Earth would they throw _you_ in Azkaban, Rose?"

"It's too horrible," she whispered, her eyes going unfocused and far away. She shuddered again and buried her head in his chest.

"Tell me," Scorpius demanded softly.

When she raised her head again it all came out in a rush of words. She spoke so fast that Scorpius only caught the words _attack_, _Imperius_, and _lake _before he put his index finger to her lips. "Slow down. Please. I can't understand you."

"I put the Imperius curse on someone," she said in a whisper.

"Who?" Scorpius said unable to hide his wide-eyed shock.

"I don't know," Rose said miserably with a sniff. "I was patrolling the halls, and I thought I heard someone down that dark hallway on the second floor, over past the classrooms. So I lit my wand and called out. But there wasn't anyone down there, and just as I turned around—" Rose shuddered and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Just as you turned around…" Scorpius prompted,

"Something, no _someone,_ hit me from behind. Tackled me. I hit my head on the floor and I think I blacked out for a minute. Because the next thing I knew, he was on top of me." Scorpius tightened a fist in the back of her robes and growled low in his chest. Rose looked alarmed for a moment but continued her story, "I was so frightened. I tried to scream, but the bugger had put a silencing spell on me. I opened my mouth and he kissed me. He said he was going to--" she trailed off.

Rose shivered again and put her head down on his shoulder. Scorpius was seeing red. He wanted blood. His grip on her tightened as he rocked her again. "Shhh… It's alright Rosie," he soothed.

"Did you just call me Rosie?" she said almost indignantly. He chose not to respond instead chuckling to himself. She'd probably realized by now that Scorpius, her adversary, was holding her in his lap like a frightened child and soothing her best as he could. His face heated. He tried to ignore the stirrings of lust that she so often provoked in him. Since last year, when he realized that behind all that red hair and her know-it-all attitude was a brilliant, kind witch, Scorpius had been having a tough time hiding his admiration for her. He'd always looked up to her, for she was bright and a model student. She never got into trouble, and she always got O's on her schoolwork. And she was gorgeous. He could hardly ignore that. A few more minutes of silence passed before Rose chose to continue.

"He was heavy, a big bloke, and still kissing me. I tried to kick him… His wand hand was pinning my arms above my head. I managed to get one finger around his wand—which he had stupidly pointed toward himself—and I said the first curse that came to mind, _Imperio_."

"That was the first curse that came to you?" he whispered with some alarm.

"The only," Rose clarified.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side Weasley," he said in a deliberately light tone.

"You've been on my bad side since second year, Malfoy. Mostly anyway, and I've yet to curse you."

"Unless you count the bat bogeys," he reminded her.

Rose glared, "You deserved every one of those. My uncle had nearly died, and you were teasing me about a spot on my nose."

Scorpius frowned. That was the last time he had seen her cry. "Sorry about that. I was a heartless twelve year-old."

"I'd been reading about the first Wizarding War for Professor Binns' essay and all the people who'd been under the _Imperius _curse. Anyway, his face went all funny and then he was getting up and walking away."

"Did you tell him to do anything?" Scorpius wanted to know.

"I—I might have told him to go jump in the lake," Rose said sheepishly. "I wasn't thinking straight."

Squeezing her, Scorpius said, "We need to go and see Headmistress McGonagall. She'll want to take care of it. Did you see him? I mean, what he looked like."

Rose shook her head, "It was dark and I only saw that he was big. I am pretty sure he was Irish, and he wasn't in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."

"How do you know?"

"He was in his school robes, and there wasn't anything yellow on them, the colors were darkish," she replied, "And his breath was putrid."

"Son of a bitch," Scorpius swore angrily, "Let's go to McGonagall."

"No!" Rose shrieked, "They'll cart me away to Azkaban!"

The hysteria was returning. Scorpius needed to diffuse it quickly. "It was self defense," he reminded her.

"It was an _Unforgiveable_," Rose responded as if it settled the matter.

_Clearly_, Scorpius thought, _This is not getting us anywhere_.

"If you won't go to her, what about Professor Longbottom?" Rose shook her head. Scorpius ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Ok, how about this. Instead of the _Imperius_, I came looking for you because we were supposed to meet up, and I heard the noise and when he caught sight of me, the bloke ran off."

Rose looked thoughtful, "Thank Merlin you found me Malfoy," Rose said in some astonishment. Like she wouldn't have imagined she'd have ever been happy to see him. Scorpius felt a painful squeeze on his heart. "We'll say that you didn't know what was going on, and I was so upset that my Freezing Hex came out as a Soaking Charm instead."

"Did you release him?" Scorpius asked briskly.

"I—I think so," Rose squinted her eyes in concentration and then turned them back to Scorpius, "I don't have control."

"Good," he replied with a small smile. "We have a good idea what houses he might be in. We also know that the bloke was big, possibly Irish, and will have come back to his common room soaking wet after hours, and probably very cold."

Scorpius nodded. "Are you ready then?"

Rose shook her head fervently, "I need a few more minutes." Scorpius continued to rub her back and she snuggled down laying her head on his chest. He was drawing just as much comfort from Rose as she was from him. It was only her needing to be comforted, however, that was keeping him from breaking down the doors of the Ravenclaw and Slytherin dormitories and calling someone out in a duel. Scorpius shook with suppressed rage at the thought of anyone laying a hand on _his_ Rose. For in the past half an hour, that was how he'd come to think of her. He felt protective, and it was an odd sensation stirring in his chest.

"Scorpius?" her soft voice broke into his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" he said in a falsely calm voice that was a little higher than normal.

"You're shaking," Rose replied pulling back to look at his anger-contorted face.

"I'm furious," Scorpius growled, "How dare he touch you like that! Force himself upon you like a caveman. He's a bleeding coward. What kind of man hurts a woman!? Tell me? The scum doesn't deserve to live."

"Be thankful he _is_ alive," Rose said, "Because if _Avada Kadavra_ had been the first curse to come to mind, you'd have been helping me hide a body instead of simply lying for me."

Scorpius felt some of his anger ebb away at her attempted humor.

She touched cupped his cheek in her hand and his heart fluttered against his ribcage, "I don't want you to go after him."

"Rose…"

"Promise me you won't," she said seriously.

Scorpius waged an inner war and came up with a compromise, "I promise I won't curse him, but when I find out who he is, nothing is going to stop me from giving the blighter a bloody nose."

"If Albus gets wind of this, you may have to stand in line," Rose said grudgingly. "I just don't want you doing anything stupid to get in trouble, Scorpius. It isn't worth it."

This was the first night he'd heard his true name on her lips and he wanted to hear it again. Not _Malfoy_, Scorpius. Her blue eyes were holding his like a magnetic force. He couldn't have looked away from her if he wanted to. Rose licked her lips and Scorpius felt fire shoot through his veins. "I want you to kiss me," Rose said in a whisper sliding both hers and his cloaks to the floor.

As enticing as it was, Scorpius shook his head, "Not right now. I'd feel like I was taking advantage of you."

"A gentleman through and through," Rose said disgustedly.

"Better than I can say for some," he snarled feeling put out that his chivalry was being discounted.

"Scorpius," Rose whispered pacifying him with her voice, "I _need_ you to kiss me. All I can feel are that bastard's slimy lips and tongue on my skin. I don't want to feel that anymore. _Please_."

Rose was shivering again and Scorpius shifted her so that she was facing him one knee on either side of his. "Are you sure?" he whispered, praying to all gods that she was. He'd never wanted anything more than he wanted to kiss her worries away right now. The pine logs crackled and the piano played into the dark room around them. Her wild hair was illuminated with the glow from the hearth.

In answer she put a hand in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers, seeking desperately to scour herself of her attacker. He responded with one hand on cupping her cheek and the other holding her tightly to him. She nipped at his lip and he was gone. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. It was more magnificent than winning the Quidditch Cup. His heart pounded furiously.

The scent of lavender was overpowering his senses, but he needed more. Scorpius kissed the corner of her mouth, and then worked his way down the column of her throat to the top of her sweater and then back up to her jaw. He nibbled gently at her ear and she moaned fisting his hair. "You are so beautiful to me, Weasley," he whispered.

She froze as if realizing just who she was kissing.

Her unfocused gaze slid back to him, and bit by bit she regained her wits. "We need to go," she said trying, and failing, to hide the breathless quality of her voice.

Scorpius gritted his teeth together. He'd really done it now. Why had he gone and told her that? Now she knew his dark secret. But she'd wanted him to kiss her. She'd wanted to forget. Would she have asked any other bloke who'd rescued her to wash away the memories? Allen Thomas? One of those Scamander blokes her family was so fond of? He ran a hand through his hair again and nodded.

They left the Room of Requirement to find Professor McGonagall. They made a quick stop-off on the second floor to find Rose's wand before making their way to the professor's apartments. "Ready?" Scorpius asked.

Rose nodded and he knocked. The professor came to the door in a tartan dressing gown, her long grey hair in a plait rather than her customary bun. She looked thoroughly harassed, but as Scorpius launched into an explanation, also mentioning that they'd taken a detour to calm Rose down to account for lost time, the stern Professor's expression softened.

"You say you don't know who it was, Miss Weasley?"

"No, Ma'am," she replied gloomily.

"Professor," Scorpius said warily as if afraid she might bite, "I wanted to ask around about anyone coming into their House with wet clothes after-hours."

McGonagall looked at him shrewdly and pursed her lips. If she wondered why he kept squeezing Rose's shoulder encouragingly, she didn't mention it. "You're forgetting, Mr. Malfoy, that if the culprit cast a drying charm, his clothes wouldn't have been wet."

His face fell, "Damn."

"Language," the older witch said harshly.

Rose smiled slightly and Professor McGonagall turned her softened gaze toward her again, "It is nearly midnight now, and there is nothing more that can be done tonight. Come to my office during the lunch hour, and we'll discuss how to proceed from there. I'll excuse you both from morning classes." The Headmistress went to a small writing desk and scrawled a note on parchment. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, please escort Rose to the hospital wing," Rose started to protest, "For some calming draught, and then to her common room. You may sit with her a while if you both wish, but then you must get some sleep."

She walked them to the door of her suite and bid them goodnight. The pair walked in silence to the Hospital Wing, and handed a note to the matron who clucked about students being out of bed all the while fussing over Rose and checking the bruise on her skull. She offered her a calming draught and a dreamless sleep potion, but Rose denied the latter for fear she'd wake up with a horrible headache in the morning. Scorpius had never heard of such a thing, but Rose assured him that it happened every time.

On the way to Gryffindor Tower, Rose felt her eyes drooping and she leaned heavily on Scorpius, "I'm not carrying you this time," he said teasingly. Rose blushed furiously and straightened up.

"I am just so tired now," she said as they reached the portrait of The Fat Lady that stood guard at Gryffindor Tower. She turned to face him, "You don't have to stay with me," she shyly.

"Do you want me to?" Scorpius asked. His stomach fluttered when her blue eyes met his and she nodded. Rose said the password and they both climbed through. The common room was empty and the dying embers flickered dimly in the fire grate. Scorpius looked around curiously. Even in the dark, the Gryffindor common room was a lot more inviting than his Slytherin common room in the dungeon.

She led him to the sofa directly in front of the fireplace and motioned for him to sit next to her. The silence was awkward. "I just want to thank you," Rose said turning her eyes toward him, "For _everything_."

The way she emphasized _everything_ made him think that maybe, just maybe, that kiss had been more to her than a way to forget. Merlin he hoped so. "You are welcome," Scorpius replied after a moment, but she was already slumped over on the arm of the couch asleep. "For everything," he added. He arranged her so that she was comfortable, and conjured a chenille coverlet like his mother used in the library at home.

Scorpius watched Rose sleep for quite a while. He was willing himself to leave her, but his feet wouldn't follow. What if she needed him? Just as he'd finally forced himself to his feet, Rose started to thrash madly around, murmuring and pleading in her sleep. Terror was etched on her brow. Scorpius knelt in front of her and gently shook her awake, "Rose, love, you are having a nightmare. Wake up. Rose!"

Her eyes opened widely. As her expression slid into focus she flung her arms around his neck in relief. "Oh Scorpius," she said through tears, "It was awful. Hold me, please?"

And so he did. He lay down on the couch next to her and held her tightly against his body, her ear pressed to his chest. He felt her breathing even and her body relax as she slipped back into sleep. He followed shortly. So in the morning when Scorpius woke to find Albus Potter, Rose's cousin glowering at him over the back of the sofa, he was slightly confused.

"What—" Albus started to demand, but Scorpius shook his head warningly and glanced down at Rose.

"Outside," Scorpius mouthed to Albus, his expression serious.

Carefully, under Albus' watchful gaze, Scorpius extricated himself from Rose's arms and legs, which she had wrapped around his. She snorted in her sleep, but rolled over and continued to rest peacefully. Scorpius was not sure how much he should tell Albus about last night considering Rose had mentioned to Professor McGonagall that she would like to keep it quiet.

"This had better be good," Albus said angrily as the portrait swung closed behind Scorpius.

"Not here," Scorpius said looking up and down the deserted corridor. It was time for students to start getting up, breakfast started in half an hour and Scorpius did not want to be interrupted or chance being overheard. He walked purposefully down the hall and ducked into an alcove behind a gleaming suit of armor.

When Scorpius was through explaining the events, conveniently leaving out his and Rose's passionate kiss, Albus looked as livid as Scorpius felt. "I'll kill him," the dark haired bespectacled boy said.

"Good, because I've promised Rose that I won't," Scorpius said sourly.

Albus' eyebrows shot up behind his fringe. "It's Rose now, is it?" he said.

"Weasley."

"You said Rose."

Scorpius growled and Albus took a step back laughing. "You fancy my cousin!" Scorpius wanted to hit the smug little bastard. "I heard her parents used to argue a lot, too. Used to not agree on anything."

"Bloody Hell, Potter!"

Albus laughed even harder, grasping at the wall. "Oh, just wait until Uncle Ron hears about this."

"Are you done yet?" Scorpius said impatiently.

"Almost," Albus said as his chuckles died down. "You know, Malfoy, if you hurt her…"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll kill me, and when you're done, her older cousins will take a go."

"As long as you are aware," Albus said seriously as they made their way back toward the common room.

"Do we have accordance?" Scorpius asked outside the portrait hole offering his hand to Albus.

"Aye," Albus said with a steely glint in his dark eyes, "We are going to find the bastard, you are going to break his nose, and then I am going to kill him."

"'Bout sums it up," Scorpius replied with a determined smile. "And after?"

"Are you two official then?"

Scorpius let out a nervous breath, "No."

"As long as Rosie is happy, so am I. Albus said giving the blond a once-over, "I can't speak for the rest of them. Uncle Ron will probably fall into an early grave. But good luck," Albus said mischievously.

"I'll see you at breakfast," Scorpius said.

"I'll skive off first lesson," Albus said with a nod of dismissal.

Scorpius quickly showered and shaved and put on his best set of school robes. He made sure to wear his most expensive aftershave. Merlin knew why, but he wanted to impress Rose Weasley. After last night he doubted that anything would ever be the same between them again. There had been too much emotion shared. Remembering that kiss he prayed to all that was holy that she wanted to be more than friends with him, that they could repeat the experience under better circumstances. The mirror in the boy's bathroom whistled low and suggestively at him. Whoever had thought to put a female mirror in the boy's dormitory bathrooms had been barmy.

Scorpius arrived at the Great Hall at the same time as Albus. They huddled together at the far end of the Slytherin table and surveyed everyone who came through the door. The slow trickle of early risers gave way to a flood of students from all the houses and they gave up trying to survey them as they came through the doors.

"Too small," Scorpius said when Albus pointed to a shifty bloke at the Ravenclaw table, "She said he was a 'big bloke'."

The pair earned a few looks from the Potter and Weasley clan when they were spotted. Albus also received a particularly nasty glare from just about every Slytherin at the table. "You have to remember, to Rose, _you're_ a big bloke."

Scorpius glared at his dark-haired conspirator, "I _am_ a big bloke." And he wasn't exagerating. Six feet, two inches was fairly large, and he wasn't skin and bones, either. Playing Quidditch had made him fairly strong.

"How do we know it wasn't you, then?" Albus said.

"How do we know it wasn't you, Potter?" Scorpius said venomously. Albus was large enough in his own right.

"Ugh gross, Malfoy! That's my cousin," Albus said in outrage. " 'Sides, I'd never hurt a woman… even if she wasn't my cousin. Might break a few hearts…"

"The notion that I would, is just as ridiculous. I would never hurt her," Scorpius said icily narrowing his eyes, "And you'd do better to not forget it."

"Didn't stop you when you nearly knocked her off her broom last season," Albus said glaring back.

"That was an accident—Quidditch," he replied angrily.

Being preoccupied with fighting and the _whoosh _of hundreds of owls overhead delivering their post, they almost missed the look of incredulity on Rose's face when she spied them sitting together. But the look alone was enough to stop the two men mid-argument and break into wide grins.

Albus waved her over. After a moment's hesitation, she marched over to the Slytherin table and sat next to Scorpius. "You told him," she accused heatlessly.

"I found you cuddled up on the couch with Malfoy," Albus accused back. "I demanded he give me a very good explanation." Scorpius wasn't sure if he was more surprised to hear Albus sticking up for him, or the way she went from calm to furious at the drop of a hat.

"You did what!?" She roared, "You damned nosy little brat. It is none of your business who, or why, I cuddled up with Scorpius."

"Normally, I might agree with you," Albus glanced at Scorpius, "But he's _Malfoy_. It was just too weird."

"Impertinent ass." muttered Rose angrily and then turned to Scorpius. "And you just gave in to him?"

"He does have a point, Rose. I can imagine it might have looked very strange to find us in such a compromising position," Scorpius conceded.

"Bloody fool."

"I thought he could help me," Scorpius said soothingly, "He cares about you, Rose. I told you I'd find out who it was, and I will, but now I have help."

"Did you--?" She started. Scorpius shook his head in answer. He'd never betray her secret to anyone, not even a well-meaning cousin. "Thank you."

"I'll be damned," Albus said, a grin spreading across his face. Both Rose's and Scorpius' heads snapped toward him, glaring. Albus grinned and stuffed a slice of bacon in his mouth.

"And what do you two hope to accomplish by sitting over here with your heads together?"

"Strategy," they said in unison.

"Speaking of weird," Rose said in a sing-song voice.

"And hopefully scaring the piss out of someone now that you're here," Albus said with a wicked grin as he surveyed the Great Hall again. "He'll know we're up to something."

Casting a glance around Scorpius started to formulate a plan. The enchanted ceiling was cold and mostly clear. The winter sun was just rising in the east, casting an orange glow over the room. Scorpius heaped some eggs and sausages onto a plate and passed it to Rose.

"We'll talk to the first and second years. They're the most-likely overlooked. The bastard could have stumbled into his common room without ever noticing they were there. And they are most likely to talk to two, large," Scorpius cast a laughing glance at Albus, "Seventh years. If for no other reason that they are intimidated by us."

Albus nodded in agreement. "So I'll start with Slytherin and you start with Ravenclaw since they are the most likely houses."

"Right," Scorpius said. "We are looking for someone who was coming in to the common room around 10, possibly wet."

"And limping."

"I might have kicked him in the bits," Rose said quietly, "I remember wanting to, trying to, but not if I ever got the chance. And my toe hurts," Scorpius and Albus winced, but congratulated her possible well-placed kick.

"Okay, so I'll follow the Slytherin first years, and you follow the Ravenclaws," Scorpius confirmed.

"And what will I do?" Rose said frowning, "And Albus hasn't been excused from lessons."

"I'm skiving. This is more important."

"And you are going to go up to your common room and stay out of trouble," Scorpius said seriously. "Read one of your Victorian novels. It will keep your mind off it." He could see he'd said too much again when Rose turned a thoughtful eye on him. She'd never shared her love of the classics with him, but he'd often watched her while she was reading in the library or outside a classroom. "I'll come get you before our lunchtime meeting."

Rose stayed silent, but nodded.

When they left the Great Hall, Rose headed upstairs while Albus and Scorpius followed the younger students onto the grounds. The Slytherins had Flying, and the Ravenclaws Herbology. "Fancy Rose not arguing when someone told her what to do," Albus commented as they started down the stairs. "I think she fancies you."

Scorpius went pink to the tips of his ears. "Meet me back here in 20 and we'll find out where the second years are so we can ambush them coming out of class."

Scorpius sprinted off toward the Quidditch pitch leaving Albus staring after him. He wasn't entirely sure how he had gotten into this mess. He'd always been a reasonable, well-mannered, quiet, young man. He was a stickler for the rules, and rule-breakers had no place in his company. But he'd always seen Rose Weasley as the model student. And then _this_ had happened. He had lied for her, and didn't feel the least bit sorry for it.

He was _protecting_ her. It felt so natural, and that scared him. What else would he do for her? The rage that had been pumping through him since he'd found out what had nearly happened to her had him wondering. Would he kill for her? If it meant protecting her, the answer was absolutely. And it did not surprise him in the least.

He spotted the gaggle of first years standing around on the grounds waiting for the flying instructor. It was the Gryffindors and Slytherins together. He polished his Prefect badge and bounded onto the pitch just as the flying instructor came out of the broom shed.

He walked purposefully toward her and bid her good morning. "Madame Hooch," he said in his most officious voice, "We've had a bit of trouble involving an upperclassman, and I was wondering if I could speak with each of the Slytherin first years."

She eyed him warily, but nodded her consent, "I suppose so, Mr. Malfoy. It is a free fly today, so it won't do any harm."

Scorpius questioned all sixteen of the Slytherin first years, and none had seen anything. Most of them had been in bed by ten, and the two or three others had not noticed anyone come in late. He thanked Madam Hooch and ran back to the steps twenty-five minutes later, he'd forgotten just how many first years there were in his house, but Albus was not back yet either.

It was very cold on the grounds, and Scorpius pulled his woolen cloak tighter as he sat waiting. He didn't know what to think, whether Albus' continued absence was a blessing, or perhaps he'd gotten into trouble and had been sent to class.

Ten minutes later, Scorpius had just decided to give up and find out where the second years were when Albus came barreling out of the castle, an evil grin on his face. "Where the Hell have you been?" demanded Scorpius.

"I got a lead and followed it," Albus said gleefully.

"And…"

"And I've narrowed it down to two blokes. I talked to two first years who told me they'd seen someone come in at half ten… and you'll never believe this… he was dry, but limping rather badly. His head was covered with his cloak though."

Scorpius snorted and then grinned. Rose had got a good shot in after all.

"The ickles pointed me toward a third year who was also in the room at the time, Grayson Macleod, and I've just been to see him—"

"You didn't bother to wait for me?" Scorpius sneered. He'd selfishly hoped, even with Albus' help, that he could be Rose's hero, the one to crack the case and find the culprit.

"Hey," Albus said raising his hands in surrender, "Sorry man, I just thought you wanted to catch this pecker as much as I do."

Scorpius ran a hand over his face and sighed, "You're right, Potter. I'm just tired. I'm not thinking right. What did you find out?"

"Macleod said it was either Harry Connor or Jeremy Ryan who came through the common room."

"The Ravenclaw Beaters?"

"Aye, both big blokes, aren't they? Both of them Irish," Albus said raising his eyebrows.

"Right, there's only one thing to do then."

"Go find the blighters and beat them until one of 'em confesses?" Albus replied cheerily, "I've got a few cousins who would be in on it for the sole purpose that Gryffindor lost to Ravenclaw last match."

Groaning, Scorpius shook his head. "No, we bring the evidence to Professor McGonagall and let her take care of it." Albus moaned that it was unfair, "And then, when we are certain which of the _blighters_ did it, we beat him to a pulp."

Albus mulled it over for a minute, "Okay. Let's go tell Rosie the good news."

Scorpius thought about it, "Maybe she could identify the one if she got a better look at them up close."

"We could always tell the Headmistress to make them drop trou, and see which has their testicles buried." They both winced again and groaned out loud at the thought, but Scorpius couldn't help but think it was a relatively sound idea.

Rose jumped up from the sofa and greeted them with enthusiastic hugs, lingering ever so slightly when she hugged Scorpius. Or so he thought. He might have been imagining it though—wishful thinking and all. Albus regaled her with his tale and offered to go see the Headmistress with the pair at lunch. Rose glanced at Scorpius for confirmation that it was okay and he nodded.

"Well," Albus said glancing at the clock, "I'd love to stick around with you two, but I really need to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts. We're covering the _Patronus_ today."

"You know how to cast the _Patronus_," Rose said rolling her eyes toward the ceiling.

"Aye, but it'll impress Maggie Longbottom," he said casting a significant wink in Scorpius' direction. "I'll meet you lot in the Entry."

Rose stood and hugged Albus again. "Thank you for helping Scorpius, Al."

A strange feeling curled in Scorpius' gut. He was jealous, and that was ridiculous. Albus was Rose's _cousin_ for Merlin's sake. But Albus was protecting Rose and Scorpius wanted to protect her. More than anything he wanted to protect and defend Rose Weasley. Needed to.

Scorpius nodded to Albus and assured him that they would get the bastard. Then they were alone in the common room. And the silence was awkward again. Rose settled next to him on the couch and leaned slightly against him so that he could smell her hair.

"Thank you again," Rose said blushingly. Scorpius turned to look at her as she spoke, "You really didn't have to go to all this trouble for me. I mean, I know we weren't ever really friends."

He turned and searched her eyes. They were looking everywhere but at him. At the window, at the fire, toward the spiraling staircase leading to the dormitories. He wanted to take her face in his hands and force her to look at him, but instead he folded them in his lap and continued to watch her.

"I mean, I'm sorry about last night—I just—I didn't mean to force myself on you like that. I just needed…" she trailed off, a tear sliding silently down her flushed cheek.

A cold fist was crushing Scorpius' heart in his chest. She was _sorry_. Not that he would have changed anything—other than finding her sooner and cursing the bloke who'd attacked her. He'd wanted to kiss her and take her pain away. "Don't apologize to me, Rose," Scorpius said dangerously quiet.

Her eyes slid to his and locked, blue on gray. He reached out and wiped her tear away with the pad of his thumb. The cold fist was slowly releasing and fire was taking its place. He wanted to kiss her again. "I wanted to kiss you," he said slowly, "_Want_ to kiss you." Burning. He moved slowly, testing the waters before their lips met. It was tentative, slow, but passionate. Consuming. Her lips moved against his softly at first. He slid his arm around her waist and she willingly moved closer tilting her head back to deepen the kiss. When she moaned into him, he pulled back and kissed along her jaw until he had buried his face in her hair.

"Merlin's beard," she whispered.

Scorpius' heart fluttered nervously. "Rose," he murmured against her neck, "Would you think I was strange if I told you that I admire you?" He could feel the skin of her neck heating even further, "That I've always admired you."

"Y-you have?" she stammered shyly. "Why?"

"Your ability to out-wit, out-maneuver and out-fly anyone. Your intelligence. Your kindness," he said hardly believing the words were leaving his mouth.

"Honestly?"

"Truly."

"I've very rarely outwitted _you_, Malfoy," she said with a smile in her voice.

"Just because I get the last word doesn't mean you haven't won the battle of wits," he said quietly. Scorpius was reveling in being so close to her. Holding her. Adoring her. She ran a finger up his spine and he shuddered.

"I can't believe we are here, like this," Rose said, "My father is going to kill me." And for some reason, the prospect sounded like it delighted her. Scorpius chuckled low in his throat. He wasn't looking forward to meeting Mr. Weasley. He'd seen him at the Quidditch final last year, and when Scorpius had been flying by the Gryffindor stands, he was sure he'd heard the man yelling for someone to_ knock that ruddy Malfoy kid off his broom _before he scored again.

"Me either," Scorpius said. It seemed surreal.

"I've wanted to talk to you like this for a long time," Rose admitted, "Ever since you stood up for Hagrid in fifth year."

"We talk all the time..."

"Not like this," she said looking into his eyes. His stomach did a somersault. "We talk like we are acquaintances. Formal. I want to know _you_. Not your opinion on how to assign evening patrols..." Rose shuddered in his arms.

Scorpius kissed her again, a gentle brush of lips. "Heaven," he sighed cupping her cheek and leaning in again hoping to distract her.

All too soon, students were barging through the common room door to put their things away for lunch—all of them pausing for a moment to stare at Scorpius Malfoy, the Slytherin Prefect, and their own Gryffindor Prefect talking cozily in front of the fire.

"I think we'd better go meet Al," Rose sighed grudgingly. And then the two of them had potions together, perhaps they could work together from now own. He would have to ask her.

The pair stood, holding hands, and daring anyone to say something to them. Rose's cousin, Lily squeaked when she saw them, then blushed and ran up the stairwell to her dormitory. He would have laughed had his stomach not been tied in knots. Hopefully this would all be resolved before the end of the lunch period.

Albus was waiting for them, his book bag still slung over his shoulder. He looked the image of cool, and smiled when he saw them coming down the grand staircase. "Ready?" He asked Rose and Scorpius. They both nodded and turned toward the moving staircase that lead to Professor McGonagall's office.

Just as Scorpius raised his hand to knock, he heard McGonagall's shrill voice from inside, "Enter." He shrugged his shoulders and pushed the large carved mahogany door open. The headmistress sat behind a large intricately designed desk. The shelves were lined in books about Transfiguration and a cat curled itself around his legs. Rose was shaking slightly, and Scorpius put a reassuring arm around her shoulders, and Albus put one around her waist. McGonagall lifted an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"It has been brought to my attention, boys, that you were interrogating the first years this morning, and Mr. Potter, you missed Muggle Studies." Scorpius glanced down at Rose sheepishly, while Albus Potter stared at the Headmistress defiantly. "Very well, what did you find out?" she said failing to hide her amusement.

"We are relatively sure that it was one of two boys in Ravenclaw," Albus said, and he proceeded to lay the evidence out for her along with the names of the three boys he'd spoken to.

"One of the Beaters? He was limping, you say?" she asked tersely.

"Later, after I'd taken the calming draught, I remembered that I had tried to kick him in the bollocks," Rose blushed, "I mean the privates, and I wasn't sure if I had connected. But I think I made a pretty good swing of it."

McGonagall smiled at the boys on either side of Rose as they crossed their legs, but nodded in agreement, "Less than he deserves," Albus put in.

"So, Albus and I were discussing it, and if he hasn't gone to see Madam Pomfrey for a bruised testicle, they'd still be hurting, whoever it was," Scorpius paused, "It could be the condemning evidence against him."

"Ah, you would make very good detectives," Professor McGonagall said fondly, "You're on the Auror track, are you not, Potter."

"I am," he said proudly. Scorpius had considered a career as an Auror, but had opted to the Healer course track instead.

"I would like a word alone with Miss Weasley, if you two gentlemen wouldn't mind going down to lunch," the Headmistress smiled softly. Scorpius looked ready to protest, "She'll be down shortly." A glance from Rose had him kissing her cheek and disappearing through the doorway behind Albus.

"You are whipped," Albus muttered as they entered the Great Hall to eat lunch.

When the bell rang, they still had not heard from Rose, so Albus and Scorpius parted ways. Scorpius started to worry when, halfway through the Potions lesson, Rose still had not turned up. When class was finally over, he met Albus halfway to Gryffindor Tower, both of them jogging as fast as they could through the crowded corridors. "Any word, Potter?" he called.

"None," the dark haired boy responded. They made quick work of searching the common room, and then sent a third year girl up to check Rose's dormitory. Nothing. Scorpius was getting very worried now. Albus seemed agitated as well, but for a different reason. What if they had found out about the _Imperius _curse? What would happen to Rose? Would they believe that she hadn't done it? Would she go to Azkaban?

They sprinted out of Gryffindor Tower and down the stairs as fast as they could. It was quicker now that the traffic had thinned, and they were going with gravity. They skidded to a halt just outside the entrance to McGonagall's office.

Scorpius' face crumpled as the statue opened up and Rose came out, tears in her eyes, followed closely by her father, Ron Weasley.

"Bugger," Albus muttered.

"About sums it up," Scorpius agreed.

Mr. Weasley's eyes landed on Albus and he smiled and then as they slid to Scorpius, his smile faltered. "Daddy," Rose warned him. And Scorpius almost smiled at the expression of chagrin on the older man's face. Albus laughed out loud and earned a glare from his uncle.

"Seems I owe you some thanks, Mr. Malfoy," Rose's father said moving forward and holding a large calloused hand out to him.

Scorpius smiled and took it, "You owe me nothing." His eyes moved to Rose's and she smiled encouragingly, "But you are very welcome. I'd do anything to protect her."

"So would I," Mr. Weasley said, the threat obvious in his voice. Rose grinned and Albus hooted with laughter. The fleeting image of Mr. Weasley digging a shallow grave in the Forbidden Forest passed through his mind and he smiled weakly.

"Shut up, Albus!" Rose and her father snapped at the same time.

"I have to get back to work now," Ron Weasley said turning to his daughter, "No more wandering alone at night. _Please_," he pleaded.

Rose nodded looking abashed. Scorpius knew that she had been doing solitary rounds since fifth year, "I won't daddy," she said. Looking at Scorpius she added, "I'll make sure to stick with Malfoy."

It looked like Ron was trying to decide if this was any better, but in the end he nodded, "Be sure that you do," and he cast another warning look toward Scorpius.

"I'll look out for her, Uncle Ron," Albus said solemnly and Rose groaned.

"Thanks."

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Weasley," Scorpius ventured.

"Thank you again, Malfoy. Honestly," Mr. Weasley said, his eyes bright, "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her." Scorpius smiled. He thought he might know a little of how Mr. Weasley felt. He did not know what he would do either if something happened to Rose. In such a short time, his infatuation was moving and growing into something more, but it was too soon to put a name on what that something was.

When Mr. Weasley was out the door, Scorpius turned to her, "Well?"

"It was Harry Connor."

"Fucking bastard," Albus said furiously.

"McGonagall brought both of them up during last period, and when Madame Pomfrey came in and asked them to remove their pants, he sang. Tried to say I put the _Imperius_ Curse on him," she said lightly, catching Scorpius' eye. "And that I forced him to try and… try and rape me." Her voice caught and Scorpius pulled her close. "McGonagall thought it was all rubbish, but she did _Priori Incantatem_ on both our wands. The only thing she found on mine was my Charms homework and a vanity charm." Rose took a deep shuttering breath, "But she found the Imperio Curse and a silencing spell on his wand and reckons he was trying to _force_ me, but I was fighting it off."

Her small body was shuddering in Scorpius' grasp and he tried to soothe her by rubbing her back gently.

"Is he going to Azkaban?" Albus wanted to know.

"No," Rose said, "He's only sixteen, so he is getting off on probation and is being expelled." _Thank God, _he couldn't imagine the guilt Rose would have had to live with had the boy gone to Azkaban for a curse he hadn't cast.

Just then, the statue leapt aside again and the Beater came lumbering down it followed by a portly woman who must have been his mother. She looked fit to be tied. Before he knew what he was doing, his legs had carried him across the stone corridor and he was on Connor. His fists pounding into the boy's face, body, whatever Scorpius could hit.

Vaguely, he heard the woman shrieking, and Professor McGonagall's voice, and Albus yelling that he wanted a go at him. He felt a spell hit him in the back, and Scorpius fell backward stunned. His lip was split, he could taste the blood. Rose was standing over him, an expression that spoke both exasperation and pride. And then the woman's shrieks filled the hallway again and he could hear Albus yelling furiously and the sickening crunch of a nose being broken. He saw another flash of red light and heard the thud of Albus landing nearby.

Rose was trying not to laugh.

"Serious business," McGonagall's shrewd voice said angrily. "Detention both of you. Friday night. Muggle Dueling, I never," the woman sputtered.

When Harry Connor was far away, Scorpius and Albus were allowed up. "You'll be helping Hagrid with his Flobberworms," the Headmistress said mildly, her eyes twinkling. "You lot had better get to dinner now."

"Nice working with you," Scorpius said to Albus.

"Same," Albus said. Scorpius grinned causing his lip to split again. "Maybe we should take a detour to the Hospital Wing."

"After dinner," Scorpius said looking down at Rose. And then for only her ears, he said, "I want to show everyone that I am willing to fight for my girl." Rose blushed prettily and unable to stop himself, Scorpius captured her lips. Albus grinned and pretended not to notice as he left them standing in the entrance hall.

"Don't think this means I'll go easy on you during our Quidditch match next month," Rose said smiling.

"And don't think I'll let you outscore me on NEWTs," Scorpius added in mock seriousness.


End file.
